During the planning period, the University's Board of Visitors formalized the establishment of the MCV/VCU Cancer Center. In October of 1974 the Board implemented the program by the appointment of Walter Lawrence, Jr., M.D., as Director of the Cancer Center and William L. Banks, Jr., Ph.D., as Co-Director. Two Associate Directors completed the executive committee of the Cancer Center at that time. Program areas were defined and coordinators of each area named. The Cancer Center assumed the overall responsibility for cancer programs of the University in research, education, and clinical service and began carrying out this responsibility through the several interdisciplinary program areas and committees. Every school of the University was represented in the structure of the Cancer Center. In June, 1975, a Cancer Center Core Support Grant was awarded by NCI. The Commonwealth of Virginia accorded official recognition to the MCV/VCU Cancer Center by passage of House Joint Resolution 196 during the 1977 session of the General Assembly. In addition, because of the importance of the Cancer Center to all Virginians, the legislators voted to include $1.5 million for the Center's capital development in the $125 million bond issue which was passed by the voters in November, 1977.